John Klossner, in a post "You’re new around here, aren’t you?" Federal Computer Week's John Klossner blog Jan 13, 2009, does a couple of inauguration cartoons while noting, "Having never lived in the greater Washington, D.C., region, I've never experienced a presidential transition on the streets. From the stories I've heard, it sounds like every August/September in a college town (an experience I have had), only with better dressed people and less drinking (I'm referring to the college town). I imagine it helps that this happens only once every 4 or 8 years. Is it like giving birth, where you forget the pain, allowing you to go through it again?"
Yeah, it's something like that, John.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers 1971 film - more on the lost short
Joel Pollack's original art for the movie poster. Thanks to Joel for letting me use it (and then giving it to me!)
I spoke with one of the men behind the movie The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Acquire a Groupie (USA: Reel Meat, ca 1971) tonight after Joel Pollack passed along his contact information. Joel Jacobson called and we talked about his role in creating the short film. The amateur live action short was originally approved by Shelton, although his permission was later revoked. The filmmakers were Bill Pace and Celia Symborski, aided to a large extent by Joel Jacobson who did much of the actual production work. The actors were Jeff Wolfe as Fat Freddy, Tom Scott as Freewheelin' Frank, and Dave Eisner as Phineas.
Mr. Jacobson told me how he got involved in the project.
“I was producing films, actually freelancing. I ended up making education films, but I was doing freelance editing and camera work. I owned everything, all my lights, and sound gear, and I had an editing room in my house. I had a whole bunch of stuff so I could work with an assistant if I needed to.”
“As a kid, I remember seeing the entire Captain Marvel series in Atlanta, GA around 1942 at the neighborhood theater. That was the serial I saw every single chapter of. The Janus Theater showed the entire Batman serial end to end all the way through around 1965.”
“Prior to 1971, in 1969 I did a thing on the Counter-Inauguration with the Yippies demonstrating against the real inauguration of Nixon. That was shown at the Circle Theater, although I didn’t make any money on it. Sometime in the 1970s I started producing stuff.”
He wanted to help Pace and Symbarski because he thought he’d give them the help that he would have liked to have gotten as a young filmmaker. He essentially shot the film for them, using his equipment including sound equipment, lights and a Steenbeck film editing machine. They shot the film in Takoma Park, MD, “where Bill and Cel worked at Maggie’s Farm, a head shop, as well as being students at the University of Maryland, so a lot of the props probably came from there.” This wasn’t an official school project for them though. Eventually he realized that he was doing a lot of the work for them, which to him meant they wouldn’t mature as filmmakers, so he stopped doing so much (which appears to have led to some tensions).
“The show itself didn’t really follow the comic strip faithfully.” Instead of the Princess and the pea ending of the comic strip, “We ended up with the guys taking a toke on a bong. What I did was, I shot the guy and then I shot the scene without the guy, and then I had vibrating thing like a jew’s-harp make a sound, and then the guy vanishes to the bwoooiiing sound when taking a bong hit… It drew a really big laugh.”
Eventually they had to scratch out “Fabulous Furry Freak Bros.” on the release print after Gilbert Shelton objected. The movie was shown to the public though. It was shown at Biograph Theater by Alan Rubin, one of the theater owners.
“They used to have something called Expose Yourself where people would bring films to show. Bill and Cel showed up on Alan’s night and asked if they could show it, and Al said yes and showed it that night. They thought they’d have to go through a procedure, but Al just set up a 16mm projector and showed it right then.” It was shown several times.
Neither he nor Joel Pollack know what happened to Bill Pace. Mr. Jacobson noted that Bill Pace always “carried a wine skin with him and always had a buzz.” Celia Symbarski died after a motorcycle accident. Neither man knows if any copies of the film survive.
Another entry for the Secret History of Comics. If anyone knows of the whereabouts of the film, please contact us!
[1/27/2020: Symbarski corrected to Symborski, per Joel Pollack].
Spider-Man and Obama - a missed opportunity editorial
Marvel completely shot themselves and comics retailers in the collective foot by the way they handled this. I stopped at Big Planet at lunchtime and the phone was ringing off the hook with people calling for the Obama cover of Amazing Spider-Man 583 - which Big Planet didn't have due to the way Marvel released it. Marvel isn't going to make any money on the secondary market for these, and most retailers won't either.
What if you invited people to a party and then didn't actually have it? That's pretty much what Marvel did here, leaving all kinds of money in people's pockets instead of providing the comic book that they did want. It's no wonder that comic books are in trouble, with sales falling year after year, if this is the way they market them.
What if you invited people to a party and then didn't actually have it? That's pretty much what Marvel did here, leaving all kinds of money in people's pockets instead of providing the comic book that they did want. It's no wonder that comic books are in trouble, with sales falling year after year, if this is the way they market them.
Stan Lee AND Zombie comics at Comic Riffs
Cavna ups the Washington comics blogger ante by getting Stan Lee to talk about Obama meeting Spider-Man - "Obama the Comic Superstar: Stan Lee Explains All..." By Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs blog January 14, 2009. I think it's a little unfair because he can say he's from the Washington Post...
But he's not writing about the type of zombies you'd expect from visiting a comic book store where there's at least 2 good-selling zombie comics, one of which deserves to be (Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead) and the other which is just a bad idea even if it makes money (Marvel Zombies). Cavna writes about strips that are either done by dead people (Peanuts) or continued by other hands (Blondie, Dennis the Menace, Hagar). And he's got another neat chart.
But he's not writing about the type of zombies you'd expect from visiting a comic book store where there's at least 2 good-selling zombie comics, one of which deserves to be (Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead) and the other which is just a bad idea even if it makes money (Marvel Zombies). Cavna writes about strips that are either done by dead people (Peanuts) or continued by other hands (Blondie, Dennis the Menace, Hagar). And he's got another neat chart.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Jillian Tamaki illo for NY Times today
Jillian Tamaki's been doing illos for NY Times for a while and there's one in today's Science Times section.
Rob Ullman's Richmond Magazine strip
Every time I pick up the City Paper, I miss Rob's illos for Savage Love. In fact, I barely bother to glance at the column anymore. Rob's got a new gig, Traffic & Weather, which appears to be a weekly online strip, for Richmond Magazine. Kudos to Journalista! for noticing it.
Library of Congress Swann Fellowship applications due next month
Feb. 13 is deadline to receive Swann Fellowship applications. Up to $15,000 is awarded annually to a qualified graduate student applicant or smaller award(s) to several to support scholarly research in caricature and cartoon by the Swann Foundation administered by the Library of Congress. For criteria, application forms, and list of funded projects, please see http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/swannhome.html. Email swann@loc.gov if you have questions.
Martha H. Kennedy
Associate Curator, Popular & Applied Graphic Art
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20540-4730
Ph.: 202/707-9115 Fax: 202/707-6647
Martha H. Kennedy
Associate Curator, Popular & Applied Graphic Art
Prints and Photographs Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20540-4730
Ph.: 202/707-9115 Fax: 202/707-6647
Greg Bennett notes Robert Goodin's blog
Greg Bennett forward Robert Goodin's message about his new blog to me. Since Greg has excellent taste, I'm noting it for you, and planning on buying The Man Man Who Loved Breasts tomorrow:
I've just launched a blog called Covered that has an artist redrawing a comic cover in their own style. Participating artists will come from the fields of comics, animation, graphic design, and galleries from all over the world and some will be well known and some not so well known.
Please check it out and feel free to leave feedback in the comments section. I just ask that you be civil.
http://coveredblog.blogspot.com
Rob
http://www.robertgoodin.com/
original art available at:
http://www.comicartcollective.com/goodin/
I've just launched a blog called Covered that has an artist redrawing a comic cover in their own style. Participating artists will come from the fields of comics, animation, graphic design, and galleries from all over the world and some will be well known and some not so well known.
Please check it out and feel free to leave feedback in the comments section. I just ask that you be civil.
http://coveredblog.blogspot.com
Rob
http://www.robertgoodin.com/
original art available at:
http://www.comicartcollective.com/goodin/
More on Harvey Pekar's opera
This blog post talks about how Robert Crumb ties into Harvey's libretto - "Harvey Pekar's jazz opera to be performed this month in Oberlin," by Michael Heaton/Plain Dealer Reporter, Monday January 12, 2009.
Stan Lee interview on Comic Riffs blog tomorrow
Michael Cavna has snaffled up another great interview - Stan Lee will be ... um quoted, he's already been interviewed... tomorrow!
And Michael's actually drawn something for his blog, mocking Sally Forth's poor husband Ted. Nice chart though!
Political humor CFP in DC
A call for papers announcement courtesy of ComicsDC buddy Jeff Reznick. Although this says it's in DC, it appears to be run by the University of Southern California?
ASA--Political Humor in the post-9/11 Era
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Call for Papers Date: 2009-01-17 (in 4 days)
Date Submitted: 2009-01-08
Announcement ID: 166146
Political Humor in the post-9/11 Era:
Papers on all aspects of political humor and satire are welcome: stand-up, visual and cartoon humor, film and television, etc. Papers focusing on humor and 9/11, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Guantanamo, Dick Cheney, or any other political question of the era are welcome. Focus should be on humor in the 2000s from an American or cross-cultural perspective. Comparative pieces discussing connections between another era and the 2000s will also be considered.
Proposals are due by January 17, 2009.
Lanita Jacobs-Huey
Department of Anthropology
Program in American Studies and Ethnicity
jacobshu@usc.edu
ASA--Political Humor in the post-9/11 Era
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Call for Papers Date: 2009-01-17 (in 4 days)
Date Submitted: 2009-01-08
Announcement ID: 166146
Political Humor in the post-9/11 Era:
Papers on all aspects of political humor and satire are welcome: stand-up, visual and cartoon humor, film and television, etc. Papers focusing on humor and 9/11, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Guantanamo, Dick Cheney, or any other political question of the era are welcome. Focus should be on humor in the 2000s from an American or cross-cultural perspective. Comparative pieces discussing connections between another era and the 2000s will also be considered.
Proposals are due by January 17, 2009.
Lanita Jacobs-Huey
Department of Anthropology
Program in American Studies and Ethnicity
jacobshu@usc.edu
Luann is coming to DC, but so is everyone else...
Luann is coming to DC, but so is everyone else ...except for her buddy Delta whose idea it was.
In the meantime, we also appear to be getting Verne, the turtle from Over the Hedge and the entire cast from Rudy Park.
In the meantime, we also appear to be getting Verne, the turtle from Over the Hedge and the entire cast from Rudy Park.
Spider-Man and Obama cover at Annapolis store
This letter came over the e-transom today; I think Annapolis is close enough for real comics collectors, don't you? By the way, those three links are the most I've seen for a comics store - the Web 2.0 idea is spreading.
Not sure how close you'd consider Annapolis in relation to the DC area, but we will have a good number of the Obama cover on hand, to at least last us through the week (I might be overly optimistic about this though). Just wanted to give you the heads up after seeing your blog post on this big event. We plan on tomorrow being a very big day here at the shop.
Thanks!
Steve
http://www.thirdeyecomics.com
http://www.myspace.com/3rdeyecomics
http://thirdeyecomicsblog.blogspot.com
15 Old Solomon's Island Rd
Suite 102
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410)897-0322
Not sure how close you'd consider Annapolis in relation to the DC area, but we will have a good number of the Obama cover on hand, to at least last us through the week (I might be overly optimistic about this though). Just wanted to give you the heads up after seeing your blog post on this big event. We plan on tomorrow being a very big day here at the shop.
Thanks!
Steve
http://www.thirdeyecomics.com
http://www.myspace.com/3rdeyecomics
http://thirdeyecomicsblog.blogspot.com
15 Old Solomon's Island Rd
Suite 102
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410)897-0322
Monday, January 12, 2009
More on Jeff Kinney and Wimpy Kid
The former U of Md cartoonist was featured in USA Today to go with the weekend profile in the NY Times. See "'Wimpy Kid: Last Straw' opens another 'gateway' to reading," By Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY January 12 2009. At the end of this article, one of the five series he recommends to get kids reading is Calvin and Hobbes. I always liked the Encyclopedia Brown books he also suggests and recently picked some up for my daughter (who reads Wimpy Kid too).
Mark Wheatley interview
Marylander Mark Wheatley is interviewed by Amanda Sheriff (I think) about his new e-strip in "Lone Justice: Crash! -- Free Scoop Preview," Scoop (January 9 2009). The article begins, "Scoop covered EZ Street when it debuted, when it concluded, and when it made its limited edition print debut, so it only makes sense that we'd also feature the spin-off "created" by the main characters of the previous story when it became its own graphic novel, right?
Say what?
If that doesn't exactly make sense – and we're not voting either way – here's how it worked out: In EZ Street, creators Mark Wheatley (Mars, Breathtaker) and Robert Tinnell (The Black Forest, Feast of the Seven Fishes) told the story of two brothers who were creators in the worlds of comics and film. Intermingled with the story of the brothers was the story the brothers were attempting to create, Lone Justice."
I completely missed the print edition. Did anyone see it?
Say what?
If that doesn't exactly make sense – and we're not voting either way – here's how it worked out: In EZ Street, creators Mark Wheatley (Mars, Breathtaker) and Robert Tinnell (The Black Forest, Feast of the Seven Fishes) told the story of two brothers who were creators in the worlds of comics and film. Intermingled with the story of the brothers was the story the brothers were attempting to create, Lone Justice."
I completely missed the print edition. Did anyone see it?
Comic Riffs calls cartoonists on Bush
See "What Will You Miss About Bush? Top Cartoonists Tell Us," By Michael Cavna, Washington Post Comic Riffs January 12, 2009.
Michael's got quotes from some local cartoonists too like Might Matt Wuerker and Terrible Ann Telnaes... oh, wait, this isn't my wrestling blog...
Michael's got quotes from some local cartoonists too like Might Matt Wuerker and Terrible Ann Telnaes... oh, wait, this isn't my wrestling blog...
More on Pekar's opera
See "Cleveland’s chronicler of the mundane is going avant-garde with an opera at Oberlin College," Cindy Leise, The Chronicle-Telegram January 11 2009.
Pekar, Feiffer and Jaffee interviewed in NYC
These should be good. I've never met Jaffee, but Feiffer and Pekar are fun to hear.
INTERVIEW SERIES WITH AL JAFFEE, JULES FEIFFER, HARVEY PEKAR IN NEW YORK BEGINS WEDS. JANUARY 21.
New York, January 11, 2009
From Danny Fingeroth:
The YIVO Institute presents one-on-one interviews with three titans comics, whose work has had seismic effects on the general culture.
Al JAFFEE, JULES FEIFFER, and HARVEY PEKAR will be interviewed by comics writer and critic DANNY FINGEROTH.
YIVO’s “Comics and the American Jewish Dream” series kicks off WEDS. JAN 21 at 7:00 pm with:
"The MAD, MAD, MAD (Jewish) World of AL JAFFEE"
A graduate of New York’s High School of Art and Design, JAFFEE worked as an editor, writer and artist for Stan Lee at Timely (later Marvel) Comics during the 1940s. In 1955, Jaffee joined “the Usual Gang of Idiots” at MAD Magazine, where he’s been a mainstay ever since, entertaining generations with his Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions and Mad Fold-Ins. Join us as JAFFEE provides snappy answers to provocative questions about his art and life, including his new book, Tall Tales (Abrams).
About Danny Fingeroth:
Series curator and moderator DANNY FINGEROTH, a longtime writer and editor at Marvel Comics, has spoken about comics at the Smithsonian Institution and The New School. He’s the author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero (Continuum) and The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels (Penguin).
Wednesday, January 21, 7:00
The YIVO Institute For Jewish Research
15 West 16th Street / New York, NY 10011
Series Continues With
JULES FEIFFER: Tuesday, February 3, 7:00 P.M.
HARVEY PEKAR: Tuesday, February 17, 7:00 P.M.
ADMISSION TO PROGRAMS: $25 / YIVO members: $18 / students: $12
FOR TICKETS: Call 212-868-4444 or visit WWW.SMARTTIX.COM
FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.YIVO.ORG
INTERVIEW SERIES WITH AL JAFFEE, JULES FEIFFER, HARVEY PEKAR IN NEW YORK BEGINS WEDS. JANUARY 21.
New York, January 11, 2009
From Danny Fingeroth:
The YIVO Institute presents one-on-one interviews with three titans comics, whose work has had seismic effects on the general culture.
Al JAFFEE, JULES FEIFFER, and HARVEY PEKAR will be interviewed by comics writer and critic DANNY FINGEROTH.
YIVO’s “Comics and the American Jewish Dream” series kicks off WEDS. JAN 21 at 7:00 pm with:
"The MAD, MAD, MAD (Jewish) World of AL JAFFEE"
A graduate of New York’s High School of Art and Design, JAFFEE worked as an editor, writer and artist for Stan Lee at Timely (later Marvel) Comics during the 1940s. In 1955, Jaffee joined “the Usual Gang of Idiots” at MAD Magazine, where he’s been a mainstay ever since, entertaining generations with his Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions and Mad Fold-Ins. Join us as JAFFEE provides snappy answers to provocative questions about his art and life, including his new book, Tall Tales (Abrams).
About Danny Fingeroth:
Series curator and moderator DANNY FINGEROTH, a longtime writer and editor at Marvel Comics, has spoken about comics at the Smithsonian Institution and The New School. He’s the author of Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero (Continuum) and The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels (Penguin).
Wednesday, January 21, 7:00
The YIVO Institute For Jewish Research
15 West 16th Street / New York, NY 10011
Series Continues With
JULES FEIFFER: Tuesday, February 3, 7:00 P.M.
HARVEY PEKAR: Tuesday, February 17, 7:00 P.M.
ADMISSION TO PROGRAMS: $25 / YIVO members: $18 / students: $12
FOR TICKETS: Call 212-868-4444 or visit WWW.SMARTTIX.COM
FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.YIVO.ORG
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Hero Initiative charity selling memberships
To go along with my Comic Book Legal Defense Fund membership, I've joined Hero Initiative which is now offering memberships. Hero Initiative helps down-on-their-luck comic book creators. Different levels of membership can be purchased through this site.
NY Times on Waltz with Bashir and Radical Children's books
"Children of the Left, Unite!," By CALEB CRAIN, New York Times Book Review January 11, 2009 reviews Julia L. Mickenberg and Philip Nel's Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children’s Literature (New York University, $32.95) which features Syd Hoff and Walt Kelly.
"The Peacemaker: Questions for Ari Folman," Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON, New York Times Magazine January 11, 2009 is more about Folman than his animated movie.
And Gene Yang's Prime Baby comic strip is still appearing.
"The Peacemaker: Questions for Ari Folman," Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON, New York Times Magazine January 11, 2009 is more about Folman than his animated movie.
And Gene Yang's Prime Baby comic strip is still appearing.
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